Serrefin.



No. 733,723. PATENTED JULY,14, 1903.

' C. D. LUKBNS.

SBRREPIN.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 16. 1903.

NO MODEL.

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Patented July 14, 19037.

ATENT Erice;

CLARENCE D. LUKENS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURT.

SERREFIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,723, dated July 14, 1903. Application filed February 16. 1903. Serial No. 143,608. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARENCE D. LUKENs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Serrciin, of which the following` is a specification.

The principal objects of this invention are to avoid the necessity for surgical sutures and to produce a device for holding together the edges of a wound that is simple of application and capable of use by unskilled persons.

The invention consists in the device hereinafter described and claimed.

lu the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure l is an edge View of a serreiin or surgical splint made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of the serreiin or splint as it appears when applied. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on lined a of Fig. l; and Fig. shows a front and edge view of a modiiication, hereinafter referred to.

Referring to Figs. l to 4, the serrefin or splint consists of a main body portion '7 and wide curled or rolled ends S. The centers of these rolled portions are located to one side of the plane of the body portion to determine the direction of bending. Projecting from the curled or rolled ends are widely-separated tangs 9, which are preferably struck up from the strip of material used. Between the ends ofthe serreiin or splint and preferably on opposite sides of a central transverse line the body portion is weakened by reducing the width of the strip, as indicated at lO, by which means small neck portions are formed. The material used for the strip may be metal (preferably a German-silver composition) or any other material having the proper qualities. The material used should be preferably such as will be capable of bending at the desired points, so as to bring the tangs into effective position; but it should be stiff enough to prevent its being displaced by the strain to which it is subjected in use and it should be of such a character as will prevent any deleterious result to the patient.

lVhen the serren or splint is to be applied, it is taken in its flat condition, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and properly inserted in any suitable gripping device, (such as illustrated, for example, in dotted lines in Fig; 3,) and the same is placed across the incision to be closed. Upon pressing the handles together, so that the jaws approach each other, the tangs are pressed into the skin to bring the edges of the wound or incision together. Vhen the jaws are so brought together, the serren or splint will bend at the weakest point or points. lf the splint is provided with reduced portions between the ends, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, then the serreiins or splints will bend at these points. lf such reduced portions are properly located, the serren or splint, when applied as shown in Fig. 3, will present a comparatively broad flat surface at its highest point. lt is generally intended that the serren or splint shall remain in place until union of the parts has taken place.

It is obvious that the strip may be reduced at but one point between its ends, in which case, when the serreiin or splint is applied, it will be bent into a V shape instead of into a substantial U shape; also that it may be weakened intermediate its ends by other means-as,for example,by scoring the stripas indicated at l0 in Fig. 5, or by decreasing the thickness of the strip by any means. Furthermore, the points at which pressure is eX- erted to apply the strip are outside of the plane of the body of the strip. ln other words, they are oifset from the body portion. For this reason the strip may be easily bent even though it is not weakened at all.

lVhile the tangs are described as being struck up from the strip, it is obvious that they may be formed in other ways.

lVhile l have herein illustrated and described certain means embodying my invention, I desire it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details shown and described, but that they may be considerably varied without departing from my invention.

l. A scrrefin comprising a body-strip having wide ends and widely-separated tangs at each end.

2. A serrefin comprising a strip having a body portion and wide ends offset therefrom, and widely-separated tangs on the offset ends.

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3; A serren Comprising a strip having a body portion and wide eurled ends offset therefrom, and widely-separated tangs projecting from the oset ends.

4. A serrein comprising a body-strip having clamping-surfaces at the ends theref, tangs projecting from said clamping-surfaces, and means weakening the strip between the ends.

5. A serreiin Comprising a body-strip having,` clamping-surfaces at its ends, tangs projeoting from each of said Clamping-surfaces, and means weakening the strip between the ends.

6. A serren comprising a body-strip having' its ends curled. or rolled into clampingsurfaees, and provisions weakening' the strip on opposite sides of a central transverse line.

7. A serrefin Comprising a body-strip havin g clamping-surfaces at the ends thereof, tangs projecting' from saide1an1pingsurfaces,

and provisions weakening the strip on opp# site sides of a central transverse line.

S. A serreiin comprising` a body-strip hav'- ing broad clamping-surfaces at the ends there; of, tangs projecting from each of said elaniping-surfaces, and provisions weakening the' strip on opposite sides of a central transverse line. 9. A serrefin Comprising' a strip, cylindrical portions on the ends thereof, tangs projecting, from said cylindrical portions, and reduced or neek portions between the said ends.

' In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

St. Louis, Missouri, February H, 1903.

CLARENCE D. LUKENS.

W'itnesses:

T. PERCY CARR, J. B. MEGowN. 

